


A Good Night Kiss

by Jemisard



Series: Songbird AU [4]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Episode: s04e04 Falling Darkness, Episode: s05e02 Wild Justice, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-03 17:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13345818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemisard/pseuds/Jemisard
Summary: Set in the Songbird AU.Laura's attempted murder leads to a minor incident between her and James that makes them both uncomfortable. It isn't until much later that Robbie put together what it was.Tags will update with next chapter.





	1. Chapter 1

When Robbie found them, Laura was safely cradled in James' arms. He sat on the back of the ambulance, on the step, with Laura on his lap. Her head rested on his shoulder, tears streaking the dirt on her face and his arms rested loosely around her, protective but not restrictive.

 

Robbie gave Charlotte Corwin to a pair of uniforms and came over to them. Laura's eyes were open, but heavy lidded as the adrenaline crashed out of her system. James was doing that thing where he was eerily still, almost statue like, withdrawn to the point that he could barely be noticed.

 

"Laura? How you holding up?"

 

Laura shook her head slightly.

 

"The medics said there's no physical harm." James' voice was soft. "She's stable from the shock, but they think she'd do better at home with a hot bath, a hot drink and her own bed."

 

Robbie gave a small nod. "Can we take her?"

 

"What about-?"

 

Robbie shook his head. "He threw himself off the landing, through the glass. I only managed to snag her before she went over with him."

 

James was silent. Robbie fancied he was wondering the same thing Robbie was, questioning if he should have grabbed Charlotte, or just let her fall and find a quick end to her madness.

 

Looking at Laura, pale and dirty and shaking... well, he still wasn't sure.

 

"Medics said she can go home, but not alone."

 

"Aye, course not. We'll stay." Robbie crouched to look Laura in the face. "You okay with that, Laura?"

 

"Yes," she finally said. "I just want to go home. Get clean. I can smell-"

 

"I know, pet." He took her hand carefully. "We'll give you a brush down and into the car. Get you home."

 

Laura used the grip on his hand to stand herself up. He rose with her, helping to keep her steady while James gently dusted her over, dislodging more dirt before wrapping her in the emergency blanket more firmly.

 

They ushered her into Robbie's car. James got in the back with Laura, letting her rest against his chest again before he relaxed a bit himself.

 

Robbie focused on getting them back to Laura's. James murmured softly, his tones soothing and lulling, even if Robbie couldn't quite hear the words. Even when they pulled up outside her house, James kept up his whispered litany, hints of his allure shining through and keeping Laura's focus completely on him and not on the night she'd had.

 

In fact, it was only when Ellen took Laura to the bathroom to get her cleaned and James put his walls back up that Robbie felt the whole thing starting to hit him as well.

 

"You got a spare set of clothes in your trunk? You could do with a wash after being in the hole with her."

 

"Grave."

 

"Aye." Grave. But he had been trying to avoid that word. "You did good, James. Getting her out, keeping her calm. Keeping her attention on you."

 

"If I'd believed her in the first place-"

 

"Ah, no, none of that. It's your job to disbelieve."

 

"You believed her."

 

"Aye, well, it's my job to be right. You're only a sergeant, you don't have to get to that bit yet." Robbie gave James a tired smile. "I meant it about a wash up and change of clothes."

 

"I have my exercise kit."

 

"That'll do. We're just staying here the night, no need to stand on formalities."

 

"With Doctor Jacoby and yourself here, I think I might be extraneous to purposes. Sir." James moved to the window, looking out into the dark garden.

 

"Really? I think having a nice young sergeant at her breakfast table might help put a good start on the day," Robbie teased. "And if you're going to be anything like me, it'll help to wake up and be able to check on her when the nightmares happen."

 

"There is that," James agreed, voice soft. "I imagine one day I'll get used to those dreams."

 

"No. Or if you do, it hasn't happened to me yet." Robbie came up behind James, laying a hand on his back. It hadn't been so long ago that James had been shot, but there was no evidence of the injury now. Hadn't been within a fortnight.

 

"Sir?"

 

Robbie dropped his hand, realising he was stroking softly. "Been a long few days. I think the shower's off. Go and grab your change and have a wash, Ellen and I can handle things long enough for you to get clean."

 

"Yes, sir." James strode off towards the front door. Robbie headed into the kitchen and started the kettle going again for the next round of drinks. Hot toddy for Laura with more toddy than hot and the other way for the rest of them.

 

He heard James come back in and move up to the bathroom. Shortly after, Ellen came down, looking as worn as Robbie felt.

 

"How is she?"

 

"About as well as you could expect. Is one of those for me."

 

"Mm." Robbie offered one out. "Got one for Laura too, help her sleep."

 

"She says she's too scared to close her eyes." Ellen took a long drink. "Your so- sergeant is up there with her."

 

Robbie didn't correct her since she corrected herself. James wasn't his songbird. James was very much James' own person, always had been. "He did a good job keeping her calm. He's a good lad." He gestured the cup. "I'll take this up to Laura, say good night to her."

 

Ellen gave him a tight smile and turned to sit at the table.

 

Robbie headed upstairs, slowing as he heard voices coming from Laura's room.

 

"-not like that. It won't help. You know that."

 

"I know. But I can't bring myself to close my eyes. If I had to-"

 

"Laura, I'm not going to help you hurt yourself by doing that."

 

Robbie knew he had to let them know he could hear them. He gave a discreet cough, and the voices inside fell quiet.

 

He nudged open the door to see Laura propped up in bed, the lamps on to cast the room in a soft, warm light. Her hair was positively glowing in the light, her skin scrubbed rosy bright and dressed in warm, soft looking pyjamas, it was easy to pretend that earlier that night had never happened.

 

James, perched on the edge of the bed, was dressed in the hoodie and trackpants Robbie had seen him wear when he went rowing sometimes. His hair was still damp, sticking in every direction from his shower.

 

His body language was all wrong. Tight. Uncomfortable. Defensive.

 

"Everything okay?"

 

Laura looked to Robbie; James looked away, standing up.

 

"Laura?"

 

"Yes, it's- Is that for me?" She nodded to his hand.

 

"Yeah. Drink up, should help you sleep." He gave it to her, glancing to James. "You okay, lad?"

 

"It's my fault. I made James uncomfortable, I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she addressed to James.

 

He glanced to her. Robbie could see the touches of forgiveness in the way his arms relaxed, the softening of his gaze. "You've had a terrible night. We'll call it even. For me not believing you."

 

Whatever had happened, it seemed to have passed. Robbie decided to let it go. "I'll sit here a while, until you get some sleep. You wake up and need any of us, Ellen'll be in the spare, me 'n' James'll be in the living room."

 

"Of course. Thank you." She sipped her drink and then took a longer swallow, relaxing into the bed. "Both of you. For everything."

 

Her eyes were starting to sink shut.

 

Robbie stayed a few minutes more until she had dozed off before removing the mug and himself from her room to let her sleep.

 

He didn't ask James about their disagreement. He'd hear about it if one of them needed to talk.


	2. Chapter 2

The whole matter slipped from Robbie's mind soon enough. There was always more deaths, more thefts, more Shakespeare based crimes and snooty professors quoting the boys in the band at the pair of them as though Robbie was unaware he was being condescended.

 

Of all the things that would bring it back to mind, it proved to be the case at St. Gerard's College. Between trying to solve the mystery of the ever increasing body count, worrying that he might be losing James to the promise of religious study, his own impending trip to Italy and the revelation of impending grandfatherhood... Robbie really wasn't sure how he was managing to function, or if he really was.

 

The false suicide note was at least as clear an alarm bell as they could have. Racing back to the college, Robbie just managed to keep pace with James as they sprinted towards Caroline Hope's rooms, only able to offer the briefest thought, praying they were in time.

 

The door opened and they crashed in together. Caroline's sobs and screams were muffled, breathless as she struggled to hold the knife away from her body. Robbie tackled Felix, grabbing one arm and trying to wrench it back from his victim and then James was there, James the songbird in full force.

 

His hand grabbed Felix's hair, twisting it and wrenching his head back. Felix howled, struggled and then-

 

The allure hit him. James' face was so close and Felix stared at him helplessly before twisting up to seize James' mouth with his own.

 

Robbie heard a howl of outrage–was that him?–and Felix's eyes rolled back in his head and he suddenly went limp, unresisting against Robbie.

 

The mesmerism vanished and James wrestled Felix away from the chair, pinning him to the ground. He reached up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and a look of disgust on his face. 

 

Robbie made himself focus on Caroline instead. Throwing aside the knife and getting her untied so she could be caught by Darlow. All secrets seemed to be forgiven in the face of nearly losing her and Robbie felt the tension drain out of him.

 

He leaned his hands on the arm of the chair, trying to catch his breath and thoughts.

 

"What did you-?"

 

"Goodnight kiss." James didn't look at Robbie. "Every songbird's last line of defence."

 

Robbie felt a bit slow. He  _ knew _ songbirds could do that, drop a man with a single kiss, but somehow in his mind, he'd never put that together with the fact that  _ James _ could do that.

 

James handcuffed Felix and stood up over his somnolent form, cracking his neck out and then looking to Robbie. Robbie nodded to him. "Uniform are on the way, let them handle it from it."

 

"Yes, sir." James wiped his mouth again, nose scrunching.

 

"And once we've got statements and arrests done, you can can buy me a pint." And get the bad taste of this entire case out of their mouths.

 

"Well, if you insist, sir."

 

*~*~*

 

One pint turned into a couple and then going back to James' place to let him shower and change, which he seemed to desperately need.

 

Robbie left his jacket on the back of a chair with his tie and set a couple of beers on the coffee table. It didn't take long for James to join him, curling up in his armchair and nursing his beer in his fingers.

 

He always looked young like this, hair damp and dressed down in street clothes. Tonight, he must've been particularly tired because he wasn't trying particularly hard to pull in on himself.

 

Not that Robbie ever minded. The fact that James trusted him enough to be himself was a testament to how far they'd come over the last five years.

 

"Penny, sir?"

 

"Hm? Oh, no, prob'ly not worth that. And don't call me 'sir' off duty."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Robbie threw a mock glare at James, who just smiled sweetly and sipped his beer.

 

They drank in companionable silence for a while.

 

"What you did today, I've never seen anyone do that."

 

"Well, I get the feeling Morse wasn't one to play the Songbird card when you were working with him." James shrugged. "Felix was a big, strong man. I wasn't sure we could get the knife safely from him without Caroline Hope being injured."

 

"Some people would think she'd deserve it."

 

"Some would," James said. "I stand by what I did."

 

"I'm not criticising you, lad. It isn't something I would endorse you doing every case, but you subdued him and saved any further bloodshed." He thought about it. "Do you know what it's like for someone, who gets hit with that whammy?"

 

"The Goodnight kiss?" James shook his head. "Not personally, strangely enough. I've heard it's a bit like anesthetic. Falling asleep without feeling like you've fallen asleep."

 

There was no delicate way to ask. "The night with the Corwins, back at Laura's..."

 

"Yes?"

 

It wasn't his business. But if he said that, James would push until he did ask and then give whatever answer he felt like regardless. The Life Born of Fire case flashed to mind, James pushing him to ask the question.

 

"Robbie?"

 

"Did Laura ask you to give her one?"

 

"One what?"

 

"Don't be obtuse, James, not now. I came in, you were all awkward, she was all awkward, did she ask you to kiss her?"

 

James looked away and Robbie knew he'd hit the nail on the head.

 

"You did the right thing. Telling her no. Needed to close her eyes and try to sleep herself. Not going to hold it against her, she was badly rattled, but we both know she shouldn't have that of you."

 

Looking up again, James nodded slightly. "I wasn't upset. Just shocked."

 

"I'm not sure I approve of you kissing people just to subdue them in some fashion or other, but then it's not my place to approve or not."

 

"Well, you are my superior officer."

 

"And my, dare I say it, friend?"

 

"And that." 

"Still, maybe don't go kissing anyone unless you actually want to? Not just because it's convenient." 

 

"Since when have I ever done anything convenience, sir?"

 

Robbie snorted and drank more beer. "And don't I know it. Still, prove me wrong, you love doing that. Grab us another one."

 

James gave him a long look, clearly pondering if he wanted to prove Robbie wrong or just be difficult.

 

"Go on. You can grab the phone and we can order in a curry." Robbie dug out his wallet. "I'll even give you my card to pay."

 

"Life of luxury. This must have been how the songbirds of your generation were spoiled. Fetching beer and getting free curry." James pushed himself up, holding out a hand for the card.

 

Robbie handed it over. "Don't know why anyone'd want the trouble. Having a sergeant's bad enough upkeep."

 

"And yet, you manage."

 

Robbie chuckled and relaxed into the couch a bit more. "Aye, lad. We manage."


End file.
